The automation of many telecommunication services has facilitated the completion of calls without requiring the assistance of live operators, agents, attendants or the like. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,696,028 and 4,783,796 illustrate techniques for automating private branch exchange (PBX) and other types of switching systems with call processors so that the calling parties can direct and supervise the completion of their calls, all without the assistance of live operators. Voice prompts are generated by the call processors and transmitted to the calling parties to input the extension number. Upon receipt of DTMF digit information input by the calling party, the call processor provides a communication path through the switching system to the telephone set assigned the extension number. Calls can thereby be completed without the assistance of operators.
Other communication services often require the exchange of information, often necessitating the retrieval of data stored in a computer data base. For example, many wholesale, retail, distributor and service organizations require the exchange of information involving the calling party and the data base files of a data processing system. An order entry system providing such services is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,850. In such a system, an interactive voice response computer allows an exchange of information between a data base and the calling party wishing to place an order. In the event operator assistance is required, a computer connects the calling party to an attendant position equipped with a data terminal, whereupon an operator can communicate information between the calling party and the data base. Once the calling party is connected to the data base, the interactive voice response system is disconnected. In such a system, a computer actively controls the interactive voice response computer by a data line, thereby slaving the systems together. Moreover, the various systems are especially designed for a unique connection together so that high level functions can be carried out.
Another customer account system providing operator/data terminal interfaces between customers and a data base is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,911. In this system, a complicated arrangement of a system controller, data controller, PBX switch, mainframe computer and other interfaces is utilized to provide an interaction between the calling parties, the live operators, associated data terminals, and a mainframe computer data base. Here, the system controller is connected to a PBX switch by a serial control line, thereby slaving all the equipment together.
Other computer systems and telephone switching systems, for example those using capabilities known by the trademark CALLPATH.TM., have integrated such systems together with a data link to allow the telephone system to identify attendants who have answered incoming calls so that the computers can transmit data to the agent's terminal screen. Although data and oral communications can be carried on with such type of system, there is required complex software in order to allow communications between such systems. In addition, such computer to telephone system data links are proprietary and often require different protocols which are specifically adapted to operate with specific computers and telephone systems.
In yet other telecommunication systems, incoming calls are also transferred to an idle operator. By communicating with the calling party, the attendant is apprised of the identity of the calling party, such as name, address, account number, etc. The attendant then inputs the calling party identification number into the keyboard of the data terminal, whereupon the data base computer retrieves the data files of the calling party and displays such information on the data terminal screen. Although such manual entry of the identification information by the attendant may be lengthy and time consuming, such system is effective in providing the attendant with the appropriate data files.
In situations in which many calls are processed, a good deal of time and money could be saved if the identification process and the entry of such identification information to the computer system could be automated. If the portion of each call involved in the identification and concomitant data entry portion of such calls could be substantially reduced, then the organization taking such calls could decrease the time a calling party must wait for service. By reducing the time required of an attendant to initially provide information and services to calling customers, the organization could provide the same level of service to callers with corresponding fewer attendants.
Other similar applications often arise in which the switching system and the data base computer are physically separate and the interconnection therebetween of a specialized digital control line is inappropriate or electrically disadvantageous. The integration of switching systems and data base computers would be facilitated if standardized systems of both types could intercommunicate without specialized lines.
From the foregoing it can be seen that a need exists for a telecommunication complex in which the switching system and the host computer operate autonomously, and no specialized, slaving or control lines are required directly therebetween. A further need exists for a telecommunication system in which information is passed between the switching system and the host computer by way of a call processor which provides information correlating live attendants to data terminal equipment so that the switching system can provide aural communications to the attendant and the host computer can provide data information to the terminal presently being used by the attendant. In this manner, the attendant is not required to input lengthy calling party identification data into the terminal keyboard.